Vehicle lamp



Oct. 13, 1959 KEsTER ET AL VEHICLE LAMP Filed Nov. 14, 1958 jvilla-III...-

VIII-II...

Dwayne A. Kesfer Willard A. Gross.

INVENTORS 9 BY warn-5M 2,908,808 .VEHICLE LAMP Dwayne A. Kester,Mansfield, and Willard Gross,

Bridgeport, Wash. Application November '14, 1958, Serial e. 773,860Claims. (Cl.'2408.2) This invention relates in general to new and usefulimprovements in electrical connections, and more specifically to aimproved'electrical connection for light bulbs.

In the construction of lights for automobiles, boats, etc., one of themain problems encountered is providing a complete seal against theentrance of dirt, water or other foreign matter. Although the lens maybe easily sealed to the housing of the light, at least one openingmustbe made in the housing for the passage of the wire to the bulb. Itis through this opening that foreign matter enters into the lighthousing.

Itis thereforethe primary object of this invention to provide anelectrical connection between a wire and a bulb,

of a light wherein the opening through the housing of the light throughwhich the wire passes is sealed against the entrance of foreign matter.j 2

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved electricalconnection between an electric wire and a light bulb, the connectionincluding a socket which has adjustably positioned therein a bulbholder, and sealing washers in the socket which are compressible uponthe positioning of a bulb in the bulb holderso as to form a seal betweenthe wire for the bulb and the socket.

A .further object of this invention is to provide an improved lightwhich includes a metal housing having pro jecting through a wall thereofa socket, means carried by the socket for mounting abulb and for sealingthe connection between a wire and'the bulb at its source of entry intothe sockenand a lens sealed to the housing to form a completely sealedunit.

A further object of invention is to provide an improved s ealedconnection between a light bulb and a wire, the connection including asocket and resilient sealing washers which are compressed by abulb,holder so as to tightly seal the wire for the bulb relativeto thesocket.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent residein the details of construction and operationas more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings forming a. part hereof, wherein like. numeralsrefer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a vehicle on which thereis mounted a light constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyuponthe plane indicated by the section line 22 of Figure 1 and shows thespecific relationship of the light with respect to the vehicle aswell asthe detailsof-the light;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyupon the plane indicated bythe section line 33 of Figure 2 and showsfurther the specific details of the construction of thelight; and nFigure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyupon the plane indicated by the section line 44 of Figure 3 and showsthe specific details of a ground connection in the light.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there isillustrated in Figure l' a portion of a vehicle which is referred to ingeneral by the reference numeral 10. The vehicle, among othercomponents, includes a wall 12 on which there ismounted the light whichis the subject of this invention, the light being referred to in ene al.122th? finance n era 4; .1

2303,8023 were 9 1. 119

The light 14 includes a housing which. is referred to in general bythe'reference numeral 16. The housing'16 is formed of metal and includesa rear wall 18, an outwardly projecting upper wall 20 and a lower wall22. The housing '16; is generally channel-shaped in cross-section andthe walls '20 and 22 are'generally semi-circular. inplan. i

Carried by the rear wall 18 of the housing 16 is 'a socket which isreferred to in general by .the'reference numeral 24., 'The socket 24includ'e's a sleeve portion 26 which is provided at the forward endthereof with an annular flange 28 and at the rear end thereof with anend wall 30. The sleeve portion 26 extends through alined openings 32'and 34in the rear wall 1 8 and the vehicle wall 12,. respectivelyiflange 28"is disposed in abutting engagement with the forward surface ofthe rear wall 18 and is suitably secured thereto in watertight relaition. The rear wall 30 is provided with a wire receiving opening 36.therethrough.

Removably carried by the socket 24 is a bulb holder which is referred toin'general by' the reference numeral 38. The bulb holder 38 includes anouter externally threaded sleeve 40 which is threadedly engaged with aninternally threaded forward portion 42 of the sleeve pottion 26 Theouter portion 40 has a pair ofoutwardl'y ex-j tending fingers 44 tofacilitate the turning. thereof'with' respect to the socket 24 V I Thebulb holder 38 also includes a bulb connecting member-46f. The bulbconnecting'mernber 46 is illustrated, asbei'ng of the bayonet type andreceives a bayonet type bulb 48. However, the bulb securing member 46maybe of any-type, and if desired, may be internallythreaded forreceiving a screw threaded typeof bulb. r

In orderthat electrical current may .besupplied to the bulb 48, thereisjp'rovided a leadwire' which is refered to in general by the referencenumeral 50. The lead wire 50 includes a conductor 52 having insulation54. The opening 36 is of a diameter substantially equal to. the diameterof the insulation 54. The conductor 52 extends beyond the insulation 54and .terminates in a contact 56. Carried by the conductor 52 immediatelyrearwardly of the contact 56 is an insulating disc 58. Also carried bythe conductor 52 is a compressibleresilient sealing washer 60. Thesealing washer 60 is disposed intermediate the'insulating disc 58 andthe end wall 30 of the socket. I l When the bulb 48 is properlypositioned in the bulb holder 38, acontact 62 of the bulb 48projectsrearwardly of the bulb securing member 46 for engagement with thecontact 56.

Disposed intermediate the base of the bulb 48 and the insulating disc 58is a secondsealing washer 64. The

sealing washer 64 is also formed ofa resilient-material In order toassure the sealing of the connection between the lwire 50, the socket 24and the bulb 48,1116 bulb 48 is first mounted in the bulb holder 38. Thebulb holder.

38'is then .screwed into the socket 24-until the base of Contact 56urges the insulating disc 58 rearwardly' soas tdcoirl'press the sealingwasher 60.betw een theinsulating disc 58 and the rear wall 30 of thesocket 24. This in,

effect providesa double seal and the entrance of foreign matter intothe{s0cket 24 beyond the sealing washers.

In order that the circuit to the bulb 48 maybe completed, there isprovided'a ground wire 66 which includes a conductor 68 and aninsulation 70. Secured to the underside of the bottom wall 22 of thelight housing 16 is a fittingJZ'ha'vin'g-at least'one transverse bore 74there through. Threadedly positionedin a bore 76 which in tersects thetransverse bore 74 is a setscrew 78. In practice, insulationis strippedfromanend'ofi the wire 66' to' expose a short length of the conductor68; The insulatedportion of' the wire66' is then passed into the bore 74until the conductor 68 has the exposed portion thereof alined with thesetscrew 78. Thesetscrew 78 is then tightened down to both clamp theconductor 66 in placeand to form an-electrical connection between theconductor68' thereof a'nd'the light housing 16 which is formed of metal.Inasmuch as the wire 66 is the ground wire, it will be seen that thelight housing 16, the socket'2'4and the bulb holder 38 are all grounded.

The light 14-a1so includes an arcuate lens 80 which is sealed relativetothe rear wall 18"by means of a gasket 82. The'le'n's' 80' is held inplace by a plurality of metal stiips8'4 which have'end portions 86secured inplace by bolts 88. It is tobe noted that the end portions 86are so arranged with resp'ect'to the rear'wall 18"whereby themetal'strips84 maybe tensioned.

Certain of the strips 84'are disposed along the upper andlowenedgesof'the lens 80 to form a shield between the lens 80ai1d the top andbottom walls 20 and 22, respectively. This seal isin addition to theseal formed between the len's'80 and the light housing. 16 by the gasket82. u

As is bestillustrated in Figure 2, the fasteners 88 which serve tosecure the strips 84in place also pass through'the wall lz'ofthe vehicle10 and may serve to securethe light 14 in' place. However, othersuitable securing means may be used if desired.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that there'hasbeendevised an electrical connection between a light bulb and a lead'wiretherefor which is sealed completely 'so'as to prevent entrance of'foreign matter into abulhsocket'adjaee'nt the bulb. Furthermore, thehousing and lens ofthe light are so sealed relative to each otherwhereby acohipletely sealed unit is provided; In addition to thesedesirable 'features' of' the present invention','it will also be readilyapparent thatthe light 14 isofan extremely simple construction so thatthe manufacturethereof'iseconomically feasible and at 'the sametime'thelight 14may beeasily mounted.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes" willreadily occur to those skilled'inthe art, it is not desired to limit theinvention to"the'exaet'consti uction and operation shown anddescribed,and-accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents niaybe'resorted to, falling .within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as "new' isas'follo'ws:

1. Anelectrical connection for light 'bulbs'coin'prising a socket havingan end wall, awire opening through said end wall, a wire extending intosaid 'socketthrough said wireopening, a contact on anend'of'said'wirewithin said socket, an insulated disc on said wire immediately adjacentsaid contact, a-first sealing washer on said wire intermediate saidinsulated disc and said end'wall, a tubular bulb holder, said bulbholder having open endsand-bulb securing means mounted thereinforpositioninga bulb in said bulb holder with a contact of the bulbprojecting through one end thereof,-cooperating thread means onsaid bulbholder and said socket for positioning said bulb holder in said socket,and a second sealing washer dispiosed intermediate said-insulated discand said bulb holder;

2. An electrical connection for'light bulbs comprising a socket havingan 'endwall, a wireopening through said end wall, a wire extending intosaid socket throughsaid a-bulb in saidbulb holder with a contact of thebulb' projecting through one end thereof, cooperating thread means onsaidbulb holder and said socket for positioning said bulb holder in saidsocket, and a second sealing washer disposed intermediate said insulateddisc and said bulb holder, said second sealing washer having a normalthickness greater than the combine lengths of said wire contact'and theprojecting portion of the bulb contact.

3; An electrical connection for light bulbs comprising a socket havingan end wall, a-wire opening through said end wall, a wire extending intosaid socket through said wire opening, a contact on an end of said wirewithin said socket, an insulated disc onsaid wire immediatelyadjacentsaid'contact, a first sealing washer on said wire intermediatesaid insulated disc and said end wall, a tubular bulb holder, said bulbholder having open ends and bulb securing means mountedtherein'forpositioning a bulb insaid bulb holder With'a' contact of the bulbprojecting through one end thereof, cooperating thread means on saidbulb'holder andsaid socket for positioning said bulb holder in saidsocket, and a second sealing washer disposed intermediate said insulateddisc and'said bulb' holder, said bulb securing'means being of thebayonet yp a 4; An -electrical connection for light bulbs comprising asocket having 'an end wall, a wire opening through said end-wall,- awire extending intosaid'socket through said wire opening, a contact onan end of said wire within said socket, an insulated disc on said wireimmediately adjacent said' contact, a'fifst" seaung'washer 'o'n said'Wire intermediate said insulated 'discand said end wall, a tubular bulbholder, said bulb holder having open ends and bulb securing-meansmounted therein for positioning a' bulb in said bulb holder with acontact of the bulb projecting through one end thereof, cooperatingthread means on said bulb holder and said socket for positioning saidbulb holder in said socket, and a second sealing washerdisposed'intermediate said insulated disc and said bulb holder, saidsocket being a sealed part of a metal light housing, a ground wireconnecting'on said light housing.

5. An electrical'connectio'n for light bulbs comprising a socket havingan end wall, a wire opening through said end wall, a wire extending intosaid socket through said wire opening, a contact on an end of said wirewithin said socket, an'insulated disc on said wire immediately adjacentsaid contact, a'first sealing washer on said Wire intermediate saidinsulated disc and said end wall, a tubular-bulb holder, said'bulbholder having open ends and bulb securing means mounted thereinforpositioning a bulb in said bulb holder with a contact of the'bulbprojecting through one endthereof, cooperating thread means on saidbulb'holder'and said socket for positioning said bulb holder" in saidsocket, a second'sealing washer disposed intermediate said insulateddisc and said bulb holder, said socket being a sealed part of a metallight housing, a ground wire connecting on'said light housing, and alens'sealed to said' metal light housing and cooperating therewith toform a sealed unit.

References'Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,195,189 Sauer Mar. 26, 1940 2,2 19,94o Ritz Woller= Oct. 29, 19402,757,275 Lehr -l July 31, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 657,986 Great Britain"-t Oct, 3; 1951

